Once a haven for pristine beaches, cheap accommodation and impressive historical sights – this seaside town is on the brink of being ‘ruined’ forever, according to tourists
A ‘spectacular coastline’ with sugar-like sand and rugged mountains is on the brink of being ‘ruined’ forever. Once a tranquil slice of paradise hugging the Caribbean Sea, holidaymakers argue Tulum, in Mexico, is having the ‘magic’ zapped out of it.
The warning comes from a Reddit thread of ‘surprising places’ being threatened by over-tourism, and follows the string of protests that erupted in Spain last year – which saw sun-worshipping Brits being ordered to ‘go home’. User Lalalibraaa says they visited Tulum around 15 years ago, when it was an ‘environmentally considerate place’ in the dark from the tourist spotlight.
“It was gorgeous. So chill. Perfect,” they said, reminiscing about a time when an undisturbed ocean view would only set you back around £115 per night. “Now it’s just full of wannabe influencers and it’s so overcrowded, so expensive, and so much of the magic is gone,” they added. “It’s really sad. I went back about eight years ago or so and it was like that then, I can’t even imagine what it’s like now.”
Swathes of users flocked to the comments section to share their thoughts, with many agreeing the destination has become saturated with tourists. “I was in Tulum in 1990, it was just shacks, now I hear it’s like Cancun full of hotels,” one person fumed. Another agreed, commenting: “Tulum was kind of a disappointment. Our Cenotes tour was cool, but the restaurants were very Americanised and cabs were stupidly expensive,” while a third added: “Tulum was a wonderful place for all kinds of tourists. Today it’s a s**t hole of gringo hipsters who come to do drugs and get wasted. Sad state of affairs.”
Nowadays, Tulum attracts close to two million visitors every year – a number expected to rise sharply following the opening of Tulum International Airport. Travel experts over at Lonely Planet still hail the destination for its ‘cobalt water’, stunning beaches, and close proximity to ancient Mayan ruins as well as the underground world of cenotes, but all of these attractions will now be met with hefty crowds and increased entry prices.
“Unfortunately, Tulum’s popularity has made it one of the priciest destinations in Mexico – especially during the high season when the weather is reliably perfect – but visitors can still find deals during the low season,” the aces added. “You may get some rain, but somehow the sun always seems to find a way through.”
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If you’re undeterred by crowds, you can fly indirectly to Tulum from London, Manchester and Birmingham – with most routes including a stopover in New York. If you’re flexible with dates, you can grab return fares for as little as £549 in May. Alternatively, you can fly direct to Cancun from Manchester or Birmingham for a similar price – then drive one hour and 46 minutes over to the town.
Despite increasing prices, you can still get a decent hotel for a bargain. For example, a week’s stay (Monday, May 5-12) in a studio apartment with a balcony will set you back £332, based on two adults sharing. A five-star hotel with a ‘Jungle view’ will cost a staggering £1,708 for the same dates. However, May is the start of the rainy season, so prices will be higher in the peak seasons.
*Prices based on Skyscanner and Booking.com listings at the time of writing. The Mirror has contacted Mexico’s tourist board for comment.
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